Queensland law aims to stamp out claim farming

Queensland law aims to stamp out claim farming through new legislation designed to protect victims from unscrupulous practice in the personal injury sector. The Queensland Government has recently introduced legislation to crack down on 'claim farming' in the State.

"'Claim farmers', also known as 'claims management services', approach individuals to coerce them into making personal injury and workers' compensation claims and then charge a fee to 'sell' their claim to a legal practitioner or other claims management service providers," Queensland's Attorney General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman said.

"This Bill will prohibit anyone from cold-calling or personally approaching another person without their consent and soliciting or inducing them to make a claim."

The reforms will also make it an offence for anyone to pay claim farmers for the details of potential claimants, or to receive payment for a claim referral. Under these laws, workers and other claimants gain stronger protection against predatory referral practices that previously exploited personal circumstances for financial gain.

"It also contains obligations on legal practitioners who represent injured clients to show that they have not paid a claim farmer for the claim." This compliance requirement ensures legal practitioners maintain transparency, while broader compliance measures across the sector aim to restore public confidence in personal injury claims handling.

Read the full story on the Queensland Government website, or explore our related coverage on Queensland's new laws cracking down on claim farming for further detail on how these reforms aim to protect claimants.

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